TIE! Panama / Heather’s Place

In tallying the votes, M! staffers noticed an interesting phenomenon: there were more votes for Best Breakfast than almost any other category, meaning either that most of you go out to eat your morning meal and/or that you just hate to cook in the a.m. Whatever the case may be (and who am I to judge, yogurt-and-granola eater that I am?!) here we have our first tie, with two venerable long-timers neck-and-neck as your favorite place to go for desayunando.

Tied for this year’s Best Breakfast is Heather’s Place in the GZ, a beloved mainstay since 2004. Known for her big helpings of home-style comfort food - American, Canadian and Mexican – Heather also makes her own sausage, breakfast salsa and absolutely fabulous pancakes. Weekend mornings (or any morning, really) can be crowded here, with folks relaxing in the big covered patio out front or inside, and there are always specials to choose from besides the many regular menu offerings. Evenings, Heather’s is equally or even more crowded, with live entertainment that often includes the likes of Garth Brooks, Cher and Elvis impersonators in the big stage area on the side. If you haven’t tried one of Heather’s legendary breakfasts (or shows!) you owe it to yourself to go – and soon!

Our other winner is Panama; is there anyone out there who hasn’t been to Panama? Yes? Well, stop what you’re doing (but bring your copy of M! along to read) and head on over to any of the several in town (there are big ones in the Gold Zone and Centro near the mercado). You’ll find an ultra-efficient, sparkling clean, happy restaurant with a giant menu of breakfast (and lunch and dinner) items - Mexican, American, and lots in-between. Service is fast, the food is consistently good, and there are fabulous pastries to nibble on while you’re waiting, too. Oh, and did you know breakfast is served till 1p.m.? No pressure here for you late-risers. - JB

Dolce Mami

After I moved to Mazatlan it took me awhile to get over my love of flan and move back to my love of cake. But back I am (ahem), mostly due to the many Dolce Mami bakeries all over town. I had been missing dark chocolate, rich buttery desserts, “real” pecan pie and other such things until I started sampling (ahem again) some of the taste treats here, and now it’s sort of a lost cause. It doesn’t help (my figure or my waistline) that so many coffee shops and restaurants now carry their line of adorable, delicious individual two- and three-layer cakes, either. (What, you say - these are meant to be shared by two?! Harumph!) In the mornings, with coffee, it’s hard to say no to their moist, feathery Carrot Cake; come late afternoon, maybe it’s a mini-Guayaba Pie that strikes my fancy; and after dinner? Well, then it’s time to break out the German Chocolate, Tres Leches or Vanilla-Strawberry Cake. Now, you can buy full-size and even order party-size cakes, but my favorites are the tiny, 3-inch pasteles (cakes). Quality ingredients are what make the real difference at Dolce Mami, and calories notwithstanding, you get a bang for your buck that’s definitely worthwhile in my book. Perfect for gift-giving for every occasion, just the right size for a snack or dessert and beautiful just to look at, the cakes, pies and cookies at Dolce Mami won the 2010 Mazzie Award for Best Bakery by a landslide. -Janet Blaser

Looney Bean

Ahhh, coffee…is there anything else quite like that first steaming hot cup in the morning - every morning? If you, like me, are addicted to this fragrant, flavorful and energizing “Nectar of the Gods,” then chances are you’ve discovered - and adopted -Looney Bean for your morning coffee or espresso pilgrimage.

            Owners Tom and Heidi Lonsdale opened the first Mazatlán location, in Playa Bruja, about three years ago. Due to popular (and repeated) demand last year, along came the second Looney Bean, on the malecón in Olas Altas, in 2009. Both locations have a casual, beach-and-surfer friendly vibe, with surfboards for rent, surfing videos playing on flat-screen TVs, and healthier coffee shop food than is regularly found. In the Cerritos café, the menu is bigger, with bagel sandwiches and a granola, fruit and yogurt parfait – and both shops offer fresh-roasted whole or ground beans, scones, muffins and cookies, many homemade by Heidi. A family business, it actually began in California some 16 years ago and now has locations there and in Colorado and Oregon, too. (Check it out at www.looneybean.com.) But back to the coffee: “The Bean” (as we regulars fondly refer to it) roasts its own beans in Playa Bruja, and the aroma alone is enough to make me drive up there fairly often for my morning fix. Plus, they’re actively involved in the community, including sponsoring a big surf contest each year. Why do we love you, Looney Bean? Because you keep us well-caffeinated, of course! - JB

TIE! The Last Drop / Thorny

OK, OK, so we went at the absolute WORST time to take a photo – the place was packed to overflowing. But y’know, that’s kinda the point: the Last Drop, winner of Best Burger for 2010, has garnered a dedicated legion of fans. Now, not everyone was eating burgers (tempting as they are), because the menu has lots of other choices, but with their grilled-to-order bad selves, these big, juicy, burgers were definitely spotted on many plates.  Owner Isaac and Paty are hands-on with every aspect of their Cerritos restaurant, and their attentiveness is apparent. Weekly specials, live music, pool table (and tournaments!) all add to the burger-filled fun.

So many of you wrote “Wherever Thorny’s cooking” that we thought he deserved a special mention in this category. Long-time Mazatlán chef/ cook, known only by Thorny, estimates he’s grilled some 350,000 burgers in his 15 years in town, at a plethora of restaurants including Munchkins, Il Mosto and Beach Burger. Thorny’s set to open his own little place in Olas Altas, Thorny’s Surf Burger,” any day now; keep an eye out for the opening. -JB